The Dark forests pain
by Amberflame805
Summary: If you fight, someone's going to lose. Set after The Last Hope. The clans won, but the dark forest took many prisoners. One is Dovewing; follow her family as they try to survive possibly the worst situation yet. I do not own WC.
1. Chapter 1 Captured

Whitewing gazed at her daughter, pride gleaming in her eyes. Whitewing watched Dovewing giving orders with ease. Ivypool stood near by waiting for Dovewing to tell her what to do. Starclan had tried to make peace with the Dark forest, but after an agreement was set, the Dark forest had broken it. Right now they were hunting down Dark forest cats with Dovewing's power.

"Breezepelt, to your left, by the great oak." Whitewing smiled at the strength in her daughter's voice. She was so proud of both of them.

"Thistleclaw, also by the great oak."

"On it." She watched Ivypool leave, worried. Whitewing turned to her mate eyes wide.

"Will she be okay? Thistleclaw is a big cat."

Birchfall smiled. "She's strong. Besides, she won't face him alone, she'll be fine." Whitewing nodded, still not entirely convinced.

"Dovewing, you've had along day, come back with us."

"No, I want to stay and help!"

"Dovewing."

Dovewing sighed and turned to go.

A little while later, deep in the Dark forest, Dovewing, Birchfall, and Whitewing headed back to Starclan territory.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Whitewing spun around to see Mapleshade sneering down at them.

"What did you find Mapleshade?" Whitewing saw Brokenstar emerge from behind her. His eyes widened in first surprise and then delight.

"The spy and her family! Perfect! She has been the cause of many of our warrior's deaths. She will be quite useful."

Whitewing snarled, ready it fight for her daughter's life if necessary. She never saw Hawkfrost creeping up behind her until it was to late.


	2. Chapter 2

Whitewing awoke to ice blue eyes glaring down at her. _Hawkfrost_! With a snarl, she clawed at him in vain; he was to strong.

"Oh stop, you know you can't win. Get up, and get moving!" He cuffed her with his claws sheathed.

She backed away hissing. _Where's Dovewing? And Ivypool? Are they … dead? _Fear clouded her senses; she had to find them! Whitewing looked around frantically, but couldn't see either of them.

"Whitewing!" She turned to see Birchfall heading towards her. It was only then that Whitewing realized how crowded it was. Cats from every clan milled around nervously while dark forest cats attacked any cat that tried to escape.

"Have you seen Ivypool? Or Dovewing? Are they okay? If they're not-" Whitewing couldn't bare the thought.

"It's okay. Dovewing will probably be safe because of her power."

"What about Ivypool, she betrayed them! Hawkfrost will kill her!" At the unsure look on Birchfall's face, she felt rage burn within her. The foxhearts better not have hurt either of them, or she would make them sorry! She didn't know how, but she would. Whitewing stormed over to Hawkfrost, rage on her features.

"Where are my daughters?" He turned to look at her. "Answer the question, foxheart!"

"Insults aren't going to help your cause."

"I don't care! Where are they?"

"Well, for one thing, daughter. It appears Ivypool may have … escaped. Brokenstar has Dovewing." Suddenly Hawkfrost perked his ears up.

"The rats! The rats are coming!" At this a look of pure terror crossed his features.

"But they're early!"

"Do you think they care? Get the prisoners moving!" Brokenstar yowled.

Abruptly the densely packed bodies were shoving Whitewing forward. Unable to stop, she soon was separated from Birchfall. Brokenstar was leading the way, and Hawkfrost was at the back, nipping at the stragglers.

"Get going! If you want to live, keep moving!" Whitewing tried to find a familiar presence, but there was nothing. Up ahead, a step drop off into darkness awaited them. Brokenstar stood above it, shoving the prisoners into it. Whitewing looked for an escape, but she found none. They were to closely packed together. She was at the drop off now, and she could tell it was a tunnel. Before she could stop him, Brokenstar hurled her into it. As she fell, she wondered is she would ever see her daughter again. _Maybe- _Before that thought was even formed, she slammed into the bottom, instantly losing conciseness.


	3. Chapter 3

Brokenstar fled into the night, the sounds of pawsteps speeding him up. He turned sharply and stopped, panting. Ever since the Dark forest lost, the inhabitants had been able to feel hunger and thirst. Brokenstar pulled himself up the nearest tree, and watched as his pursuers sped past him. Brokenstar thought bitterly: _Running, that's all we seem to do these days- all we can do. Well, at least without Dovewing, the clans have no hope of finding or catching us._ Hunger clawed at his chest causing him to wince. The Dark forest didn't have access to either food or water, and after Starclan broke the treaty, the Dark forest was pretty much doomed. _And they blamed it on us. _Starclan was a lot of things, but liars were not one of them.

Hawkfrost snarled at Tigerheart, not in the mood to fight. The stupid clan cats seemed to think that the Dark forest was choosing to starve them, never considering the fact they couldn't even feed themselves. Apparently, Dovewing was hurt, and Tigerheart had asked for herbs. _You'd think that the whole "nothing grows or lives here" thing that Starclan says would be remembered by their blind followers. _

"Tigerheart, we don't have time for this! I told you, we have none!"

"Liar! Help her, or I will kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try." Hawkfrost sighed. He didn't have time for this. "Look, Brokenstar's organizing a raid on Starclan, so we'll what we can do. We wouldn't want our spy to die."

"Raid Starclan?"

Hawkfrost sighed again. Starclan had also told the clans that the Dark forest had broken the treaty, which they had not; Starclan had. After the last battle, the Dark forest was ruined with many dead, and after going on clan territory, they could feel hunger and thirst. They couldn't afford another fight, but Starclan didn't care and tried to destroy them once and for all. At least the Dark forest had taken prisoners. Brokenstar wanted to trade the prisoners for food. But if Starclan refused, well then no Dark forest cat had any qualms about killing them.

Brokenstar tried to keep his eyes open; he had to keep moving. He couldn't go onlike this; he was going to drop dead from exhaustion. Instead of sleeping, he had to run through the forest to warn his warriors that the rats were coming. He also had to organize attacks, fight back, try not to die, create tunnels, run from Starclan, and curse Tigerstar for disappearing. When the Dark forest had needed him most, he was gone. Losing had affected him more than Brokenstar, for Tigerstar had been planning his revenge for much longer. After all, attacking the clans had been his idea. Hawkfrost was helpful, but he was in charge of the prisoners. Brokenstar had to do everything else. By Starclan's night the rats came, and by Starclan's day, they themselves came. It was a constant battle to stay alive, and Brokenstar was sick of it. Part of him wondered if there was any point in it, there was no way anyone could survive here.

"The rats are coming!" He watched his warriors flee towards the nearest tunnel. Brokenstar himself just ran up a tree.

_Think this through. Starclan attacks at day, the rats by night. So at dawn we have 15 minutes to get what we need and leave. _Yes, that would work. And with Dovewing this plan would be even easier. _This is all Raggedstar's fault. If I see him, I'm going to kill him. _Brokenstar listened for the familiar sound of pawsteps that always followed him. Tigerstar didn't help, but he was there watching.

"This is your mess! You got us into this! Come out and fight coward!" Brokenstar knew he wouldn't get a response.

Birchfall struggled to find his mate in the huge throng of cats. It pained him to think of Ivypool all alone, but she was better off there than here. He was about to keep going when Hawkfrost blocked his way.

"Where do you think your going? You're coming with me."

"No! I need to find my mate and-"

"No, Dovewing won't cooperate unless we hurt you."

Birchfall tried to struggle, but it was no use. Hawkfrost was to strong.

Daisy stood watching Brokenstar uneasily.

"She is of no use to me."

"Wait! I don't care what you do to me, but please don't harm my kits!"

"You will never see your kits again." The last sight Daisy would see was Brokenstar leering down at her, her own blood staining the ground at his paws red.


	4. Chapter 4

Brokenstar watched a much smaller cat trip as it tried to climb up a tree. There was no way he was risking his life for a cat that couldn't climb. Wait- there was something strange about that cat. _That's not a Dark forest cat! _Brokenstar crept down the tree towards the young tom.

"Hello Molepaw."

Molepaw jumped with fright, and when he saw Brokenstar he turned to flee, but Brokenstar was to fast.

Hawkfrost hissed turning on his attacker. He easily slit her throat and watched her fall, dead.

"Welcome to the Dark forest," Hawkfrost growled sarcastically to the prisoners behind him.

Jayfeather struggled to stand, but he was immediately pushed back down. He tried to look around, **(A/N Remember in the Dark forest and Starclan Jayfeather can see.)** but a tabby was blocking his way. As Tigerstar turned, Jayfeather realized that he was in a tree. This startled him and as he looked around he realized that it was an old rotted tree that someone had hollowed out.

"You're awake."

"Yes I am." Tigerstar sighed as the sarcasm in Jayfeathers voice.

"I need to bring you to Brokenstar. He'll want you."

"What do you care about Brokenstar? From what I heard, he hates you, and you abandoned him."

"Whose mind?"  
"Darkstripe's."

Tigerstar nodded. "Let's go."

Brokenstar shoved Molepaw down the tunnel. He was about to follow him when he noticed an unconscious cat lying near the entrance. Eyes wide he bounded over to the limp body. _Jayfeather?! _Surprise filled him and also curiosity. _Tigerstar, this isn't enough. I know it's something, but we still need you. _

In another time Brokenstar would have laughed at the sick irony or it; he had died trying to get more power, which had been his ultimate downfall. And here he was begging for someone else to take charge.

Blossemfall watched Raggedstar organizing patrols to fight the Dark forest. There was something about him she didn't trust, like for one thing instead of trying to rescue the cats that the Dark forest had captured, Raggedstar focused all his energy on killing Brokenstar. Everyone listened to him, for he _was _a great leader. Starclan trusted him.

"Brokenstar, even after all they've done, they won't break their precious code to kill us."  
"You can't be sure. I'm going to send someone expendable to talk to them."

"No one is expendable now, we need everyone!"

"I am sending Darkstripe."

"Fine. But they won't break their word so it doesn't matter."

"I consider letting flesh-eating rats upon us and hunting us down is breaking their word. They swore by the Warrior Code that the peace would be kept, and look where we are now." Brokenstar stalked out before Hawkfrost could respond.

Cherrypaw was growing more worried by the second. She and her brother had gotten separated, and he still hadn't returned. He had said that if they killed a Dark forest cat, then they would both be heroes. If Molepaw didn't come back soon, Poppyfrost would find out and they would be in so much trouble. She was still pacing impatiently when a she heard pawsteps.

"What are you doing here?" Cherrypaw spun around to see Raggedstar.

"I was just … waiting."

"In the Dark forest?"

"Um no. Well you see-"

"What?" Wait, did you see anything else besides cats?"

"Well, we almost got eaten by rats."

"You saw the rats?" Out of the corner of his eye he saw Darkstripe. _Perfectly staged. _

"Ye ye yes."

Raggedstar growled. She had seen the rats; she had to be dealt with. Claws unsheathed he lunged, ripping his claws across her throat. He watched her fall a surprised look on her face, dead.

"The Dark forest messenger has killed an apprentice!"

Darkstripe backed away, but it was to late.

Brokenstar stood watching in a tree. Hawkfrost stood next to him eyes wide with horror. There was no need for words, no need for an "I told you so." Cherrypaw lay dead, killed by Starclans leader, her blood staining the decaying earth red.


	5. Chapter 5

Raggedstar watched his warriors quickly kill off the Dark forest messenger. _Good. No on knows. _

He waited for most of his warriors to leave with Cherrypaw's body. Raggedstar looked up to where he knew his son was watching. _This is just so perfectly staged!_

Raggedstar waited for Cherrypaw to come back for Starclan. When she did he had already made sure that no other cats besides Dark forest cats were in the area.

"Come we have to get moving!"

"But you killed me!"

"What?"

Raggedstar grabbed Cherrypaw by her scruff and ran up Brokenstar's tree. Neither Brokenstar nor Hawkfrost had seen them yet.

He lunged at his son, shoving him backwards. He pushed Cherrypaw at Brokenstar, and ripped open her flank. He knew that his warriors would arrive soon because of her cries so he'd have to work fast; he could already see them coming. Raggedstar snapped he neck, and watched her fade. Brokenstar glared down at where the body was.

"Well _father, _though you are a coward, I never expected you to be a murderer too."

"Shut up." As his warriors caught up, seeing Raggedstar's bloodstained paws, they launched themselves at the two Dark forest leaders. With hisses of outrage, they fled, outnumbered.

"I'm going to kill him!"

"Brokenstar."

"I'm going to kill him!"  
"Brokenstar!"

"I'm going to kill him! Rip every last bit of flesh of his-"

"BROKENSTAR!"

"What?"

"Why did he kill her? She was just an apprentice. A _clan_ apprentice."

"Well she found out about the rats."

"Wait, so the rest of Starclan doesn't know?"

"Hawkfrost, of course they don't! Those soft hearted fools could never stomach what goes on here!"

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know!"

Whitewing sat back, shocked at what she had just heard. Dovewing had told her about what Raggedstar had done, and she just couldn't believe it! Raggedstar- a murderer? No just no.

She heard Brokenstar come up behind her. He looked haggard and exhausted.

"Dovewing, we can't raid Starclan now, they will be on watch. So as to save food, the prisoners won't be getting any."

"What? But that's now fair!"

At this Brokenstar seemed almost to laugh.

"Fair my dear? If life and death were fair, Mapleshade would be in Starclan with three fully grown kits around her, with a loving mate. Tigerstar would be ruling the forest! I would be-"

"But that wouldn't be fair! All you two would do is murder in cold blood!"

"Well Starclan could have at least left us to rot in peace!" Brokenstar glared at her, daring her to disagree.

When she didn't he smirked. She glared at him as he left.

Whitewing fled with the rest of the prisoners. The rats were coming! Hawkfrost guided them into a tunnel, and pushed a rock onto the entrance.

Brokenstar looked around, he seemed to be counting them. His eyes widened as they fell on Tigerheart.

Tigerheart slowly turned, surveying the cats around them.

"Where's Dawnpelt?" He asked after a long pause.

Brokenstar sighed. He knew this was going to happen some time.

"It's to late, Tigerheart. The rats will get her. I am sorry. We'll kill her for you, you don't need to see her."

Tigerheart stared at him in disbelief. "Are you offering to _kill _her for me? That's my sister you're talking about! I'm not just going to let her die!"

"There's nothing we can do for her, I'm sorry."

Tigerheart lunged towards Brokenstar, but the other tom was ready. Hooking his claws underneath Tigerheart, Brokenstar flipped him over.

"When she comes back to join Starclan, we will kill her for you. You should be grateful!"

"Grateful?!" Tigerheart could not believe his ears!

Brokenstar sighed. "When the rats get 'em, they don't come back… healed.

"What do you mean?"

Brokenstar was silent for what felt like a long time. "Oh why am I trying to protect you? She will come back, half bone. Her flesh will be gone; she will look like a living corpse. The best thing for her would be to kill her; put her out of her misery. I thought you wouldn't want to see her after she is eaten, but if you would like the honor of killing her, then go ahead!"

"What?! Then we have to save her!"

"_We?"_

"Yes!"

"Tigerheart, no."

"Why you foxhe-"

Scratching at the roof interrupted Tigerheart, and he looked up.

Dovewing heard low moans coming from above her. _Dawnpelt! _

"Let me in, they're coming!"

"Dawnpelt!" Tigerheart threw Brokenstar off him, and raced towards the sound.

"No! If you open that, we will all die!"

"Coward!"

Brokenstar let of a screech of fury, and lunged at Tigerheart, sending him flying.

Dovewing stared at him in shock. She knew Brokenstar was cruel, but to leave a cat to be eaten alive?

"You don't understand. I've seen them. They're unstoppable. If they even touch you, you get the plague."

Brokenstar lowered his head.

_I wonder how many cats he's seen ripped apart in front of him? I wonder how many of his warriors he saw die, helpless to do anything? Well, they brought it on themselves by breaking the treaty. _

Dovewing closed her eyes, waiting for Dawnpelt's screams to stop. Tigerheart was struggling to break free of Brokenstar, but the Dark forest leader held fast.

Finally, when it was over, Brokenstar let him up.

"Foxheart!"

Tigerheart glared at Brokenstar.

"You're lying!"

Brokenstar just looked at him, fury gleaming in his eyes. Slowly he stood up and opened the entrance. He pulled himself out, and beckoned to Tigerheart to follow him.

"Behold, your sister."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is really short, sorry. I have to get through a few things before, well you know. (Wait no you don't!)**

**Anyway, sorry about the shortness, try to enjoy anyway.**

Dovewing stared at the carcass in front off her.

Dawnpelt's flesh was torn from her, lying in bloody strips by her sides. Her bones were broken, and open. The rats had eaten their marrow. Her eyes were missing, and she was had lost half her face. Her fur was completely gone, as was her most of her flesh.

What scared Dovewing most was that the body was _moving._

Brokenstar was right; for when Dawnpelt had come back, she hadn't been healed.

Brokenstar stood, face turned away in disgust.

The thing, for it was hardly a cat anymore, was twitching.

Tigerheart let out a small gasp, horror in his eyes.

Brokenstar stalked up to her, and slit her throat.

He watched her fade, unmoved.

Raggedstar eyed the she-cat in front of him warily. Her dark pelt blended in, thus making her good at her job.

"Dovewing. The little spy has to die, she has seen to much.

"Done."

"Jayfeather too."

"Done."

"What if we get caught?"

"Caught? You doubt me? Brokenstar will be at your mercy in three days **( A/N I forgot the Warriors name for days, you don't need to put that in your review I am not changing it.) **time. All, of them will be. As for the three, well it will be like they never existed."

"Good."

The she-cat smiled at him, black eyes aglow.

"I have never failed, and I won't start now."

"Perfect."


	7. Chapter 7 Rats!

**Thanks so much to Pinklight1, **Willowsmoke of ShadowClan

**, **PikaBolt101, mistystar123, **and **Splashpaw **for the great reviews!**

**Anyway, so I decided to give you guys a good cliffhanger, and forget about fanfic for a while. As in a few days. Darkflowerprincess and I have some very important tests coming up, so I will be busy. I might still be able to post, but you know. I have this story planned out, but I don't know everything I am going to do. So if you like it, review! If you don't like it review! If you hate it, review! **

Brokenstar crashed into the prisoners tunnel. Whitewing watched him collapse from sheer exhaustion at Hawkfrost's paws.

"He's dying."

Whitewing turned to look ate Jayfeather. She nodded in agreement. That much was obvious. Brokenstar was starving, thirsty, and exhausted.

"That could be very bad news for us, the Dark forest cats have orders to kill us the second he dies. They are supposed to feed us to the rats."

Whitewing shuddered, remembering the terrible fate Dawnpelt had met. The idea that her beautiful daughter could meet the very same fate- no, Whitewing would never let that happen!

Brokenstar glared up at Hawkfrost. The other tom wouldn't let him rest, telling him of all the horrors that would occur is the rats got in the tunnels.

"Alright, alright! I'm going!" Brokenstar pushed himself shakily to his paws, annoyed.

Jayfeather tilted his head, eyeing Whitewing and Dovewing.

"You know, there are two cats in Starclan whose minds are the same as the Dark forest's; a blank mask."

"I wonder who they are?" 

Brokenstar watched Mapleshade enter, relief burning through him. He enjoyed her presence; she was comforting. **(This will never be a MaplexBroken. He is really evil, and she is just to far-gone. I just mean that, well, he enjoys her company. Okay, I just made it worse. Point being, there will never be xBroken ever! So don't worry, nothing will come out of this.) **

Brokenstar had been forced to live by moves and counter moves. Tigerstar and him had always been playing a dangerous game. Mapleshade hated everyone; she didn't care who lead along as the clan died.

She glanced at him. "A she-cat wants to meet you at the cliff."

"What?"

"She brought Firestar's body."

"What?!"

"Anyways, I suggest you go."

"Oh fine. Not like anything can get worse."

"Oh and one last thing."

"What?"  
"Her eyes. They were black."

Dovewing fled from the rats, following the rest of the prisoners into the tunnel.

Tigerstar stared at the she-cat in front of him. Her coal **(Yeah, yeah cats don't know what coal is, whateva)** black eyes bored into him.

"I'll be there."

Dovewing turned to look at the cats around her. Brokenstar was doing the same. She watched as he slowly turned.

"Dovewing, turn around slowly, and look behind you."

Dovewing did, and she saw them.

There black pelts blended in with the back round, while their white fangs stood out.

Fear clouded her senses.

_Rats! _


	8. Chapter Death, pain, and bye

The depths of her eyes were as black as a moonless night. She entwined herself around Raggedstar, eyes wide and emotionless.

"I don't think this will work." She looked around at the darkness engulfing them. "There are so many things that could go wrong!"

"Nonsense!" Raggedstar glared at her. "You let them know, they'll show up."

"That's not the problem, the problem is that you're counting on them falling off a cliff and not dying."  
"When you put it like that…" Raggedstar pushed her away from him. "Look, Brokenstar-"

"Raggedstar! This isn't all about your revenge. The clans need to be free from them and any relations of theirs forever! It's the only way!"  
"It will work." Raggedstar glared up at the starless night, his claws making short work of the earth beneath him. "It will be like they never existed."

o0o

Brokenstar cursed, glaring at the rats behind Dovewing. Jayfeather stood next to her, a look of pure terror frozen on his face.

Hawkfrost slowly began to shift, his eyes never leaving the rats. "Okay, who can we spare?"

"I don't know." Brokenstar began to scan the prisoners. "Flametail-"

"No!" Tigerheart's eyes were wild with rage at the very suggestion.

"Yeah him."

"That's about it…"

Brokenstar's eyes narrowed. "Alright, fine. Protect Jayfeather and Dovewing, the others can die for all I care."

Dovewing's heart was frozen. Her mother and father and her clanmates- Brokenstar was going to use them as bait! "No!"

Everyone turned to the speaker; Dovewing. "I will die, I will sacrifice myself for them! Leave them alone!"

Brokenstar swung around to face her. "That would have touched my heart- if I had one. How sweet. But alas, I don't care about them; you will live. Hawkfrost, get ready to run."

"You can't do this!" Jayfeather had stepped forward. "You will pay for this, Brokenstar."

The Dark forest leader turned to look at him. "Jayfeather, do you honestly think we released rats upon our own? That this is our fault? I don't have time for this! The longer you talk, the of your loved ones will die!"

The rats shifted, making sure they were surrounded.

"Okay, so we run to that tree, got it?" Hawkfrost was herding the expendables cats towards the rats. Soon they had formed a protective shield around the Dark forest cats and the valuable prisoners.

Dovewing felt rage overwhelm her. She threw herself at Brokenstar, teeth barred.

The rats saw the movement and attacked.

And Dovewing didn't know what was happening because of the blood and screams and noise. She was running to the tree, she was in it. She was safe at last. The tree was oak, and rotted out. She saw Jayfeather's eyes widen. "Tigerstar's here."

Dovewing stretched out her senses until she found the massive tabby. She didn't have to go far, he was right on the branch above her, along with Brokenstar.

Hawkfrost jumped on the branch and was about to say something when he saw Tigerstar.

Brokenstar turned on the dark tabby hate gleaming in his eyes.

"Brokenstar. You can't spare warriors on me. Stop fighting. I came to warn you about-"

"Traitor!" Brokenstar lunged at the tabby, claws unsheathed. Tigerstar backed away, startled.

"Brokenstar! Don't even-"

Hawkfrost stepped in between them. "Brokenstar, he's right. We can't spare warriors on him. Let him go." Dovewing noticed the way he refused to meet his father's eyes.

Brokenstar hissed, fury radiating from him. "Go, coward." Tigerstar eyes began to narrow.

"GO!"

Tigerstar backed away, his eyes never leaving Brokenstar's. He disappeared into the night, as he never was there.

It was only then, after the drama had ensued that Dovewing realized something was wrong.

"Where is, where is-" She fought the waver in her voice, not wanted know than answer to her question. Finally she looked Brokenstar in the eye and spoke, her voice nothing more than a whisper. "Where's Whitewing?"

**A/N: Well, that might be the last chapter for a while. School takes away our computers for the summer. I might be able to update in the next few days, but I'm busy, so you know. If I get enough reviews, I might…**

**Anyway, thanks for reading so far.**

**Bye for now,**

**Amberflame**


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